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The Wonder Tales #2
Gloaming
Once upon a chime...
Every day at four o’ clock, an enchanted twilight sweeps over Vale Argantel. Strange things happen under its eldritch mists boil up out of the ground, rain pours out of a cloudless sky, and the roses grow wild and fey. Such is the way of things.
But when her friend falls through a magic mirror and disappears, Margot realises something’s changed. An ancient enchantment has gone awry, and chaos quickly spreads. Magic-drunk, confused and hampered at every turn, Margot must find a way to reclaim Oriane — and before anybody else disappears.
But for Oriane, things are stranger still. Lost in a topsy-turvy world, how can she ever find her way home? For she’s adrift in a place very like Argantel — eerily familiar, yet strangely different; a place which follows none of the usual rules…
Get drunk on magic — try this atmospheric fantasy from the author of the Tales of Aylfenhame and Faerie Fruit.
Every day at four o’ clock, an enchanted twilight sweeps over Vale Argantel. Strange things happen under its eldritch mists boil up out of the ground, rain pours out of a cloudless sky, and the roses grow wild and fey. Such is the way of things.
But when her friend falls through a magic mirror and disappears, Margot realises something’s changed. An ancient enchantment has gone awry, and chaos quickly spreads. Magic-drunk, confused and hampered at every turn, Margot must find a way to reclaim Oriane — and before anybody else disappears.
But for Oriane, things are stranger still. Lost in a topsy-turvy world, how can she ever find her way home? For she’s adrift in a place very like Argantel — eerily familiar, yet strangely different; a place which follows none of the usual rules…
Get drunk on magic — try this atmospheric fantasy from the author of the Tales of Aylfenhame and Faerie Fruit.
240 pages, Paperback
First published September 29, 2017
124 people are currently reading
313 people want to read
About the author
Charlotte E. English
77 books352 followersEnglish both by name and nationality, Charlotte hasn’t permitted emigration to the Netherlands to change her essential Britishness. She writes colourful fantasy novels over copious quantities of tea, and rarely misses an opportunity to apologise for something. Spanning the spectrum from light to dark, her works include the Draykon Series, Modern Magick, The Malykant Mysteries and the Tales of Aylfenhame.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
October 3, 2017
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review. It was a great book! It took me back to the wonders of childhood. The fairy tales, the magic. It just made me happy.
The story is about a woman who is drawn through a mirror into another world. It is very similar to her world, but very different as well. She tries to get home and her friends in her world try to find her. Some join her in this other world. The author uses descriptions to add to the feelings in the story and makes it a totally immersive experience. It is extremely well written. The tale never bogs down. And at the end there are no unanswered questions, which I really like.
The characters are well developed. They don't do stupid things that a normal everyday person wouldn't do. I really enjoyed this book.
The story is about a woman who is drawn through a mirror into another world. It is very similar to her world, but very different as well. She tries to get home and her friends in her world try to find her. Some join her in this other world. The author uses descriptions to add to the feelings in the story and makes it a totally immersive experience. It is extremely well written. The tale never bogs down. And at the end there are no unanswered questions, which I really like.
The characters are well developed. They don't do stupid things that a normal everyday person wouldn't do. I really enjoyed this book.
November 5, 2018
I think what I appreciate more that anything is the unique style of the Wonder Tales series. The imagery is so evocative that it’s like being inside a beautiful dream. Rushing through a book like this is impossible. You have to fully commit your mind to absorbing the poetical language and magical atmosphere. If you’re in the mood for a slow, immersive read that has the same feel as classical literature, then this is the book for you!
October 18, 2019
Not bad for a book I randomly picked out from the Kindle store. It's a fantastical, whimsical story about a castle that is overgrown with roses and the disappearance of a lady who worked there.
November 19, 2017
"Gloaming" is written as rich and strange as a poem. The last two things I read as lovely as this were Peter S. Beagle's "The Last Unicorn," which I read as a child, and Lord Dunsany's "The King of Elfland's daughter, which I read at least a decade ago. Open “Gloaming” to any random page and the words come spilling and falling like wine, or a midnight garden full of night-blooming flowers.
“The roses had come in through the ceiling in this part of the rambling old house, and by now the thicket of thorns and bright, burnished leaves had claimed two of the walls and half of a third. All summer long they had been abundant with fat, heavy blossoms, their translucent petals hovering somewhere between silver and white; pale like the moon, folded around a clear glimmering heart like the wrappings of some promised gift. [...] they glittered faintly, as though a mote of starlight slumbered somewhere within [...] But they were succulent and fragrant, and the wine made from these fruits of autumn was beyond compare.”
The writing remains as luscious, through the whole of the book. I loved the rhythm of it, the richness of the language. I loved feeling that I had fallen into a painting, or some strange dream.
Yet, despite these lovelinesses, I found, or find rather, myself with a difficulty in reviewing it. For starters, I got muddled early on by the number of characters. There are so many of them! Introduced so quickly! And introduced only by name and profession, I quickly lost track of which ones were important. Some of them are only there to make up the background of the town, or are some lesser-mentioned winemakers, who appear the once and near-never again. Some of them are central characters, and one unfortunately does not realize it in the shuffle of townsfolk, and one must be continually turning back to figure out who these people are. (Or maybe it was just me. In fairness, I did start this book on a turbulent plane, in the middle of the night, after working all day. Our trip was besieged by storms, and perhaps outside circumstances made concentration difficult.) But I think, in this case, the loveliness of the language made my task harder: lost as I was in the dreaming words and fragrant scents emerging off the page, I had trouble with also following the plot.
However. Things progressed, and so did I, and eventually I managed to make my way through this lovely, yet confusing tangle. And then to the end, where the story took on the quality of a children's play. “The Elements” appear, personified Roses and Night and Wind and Sunlight. I liked how they appeared through the story: believable people, and also believable as their respective elements.
“Gloaming” ended exactly as it needed to, and yet it still seemed like a dramatic break from the rest of the story -- in writing style, in tone, and in development. All the characters became more stylized, more symbolic -- and though the plot needed this, I still felt disappointed. I wanted to watch the characters continue to grow, and (without spoilers), the change they experienced was dramatic enough that it was almost like a different story.
My reservations aside, I remain impressed with Ms. English's ability to magically transform her writing voice with each book. Some authors sound quintessentially the same regardless of setting or world. Charlotte English manages to create a different tone for each world she writes, while keeping that tone consistent for the all the books within a world. Gloaming's tone is that of something statuesque and old: it has the feel of (appropriately) a fae tale, or a parable, or a play. Yet it has none of the staleness of so many oft told tales: no, instead it has an old-world feeling to it, but remains interesting and entirely fresh. Reading it is like drinking from a clear stream.
“The roses had come in through the ceiling in this part of the rambling old house, and by now the thicket of thorns and bright, burnished leaves had claimed two of the walls and half of a third. All summer long they had been abundant with fat, heavy blossoms, their translucent petals hovering somewhere between silver and white; pale like the moon, folded around a clear glimmering heart like the wrappings of some promised gift. [...] they glittered faintly, as though a mote of starlight slumbered somewhere within [...] But they were succulent and fragrant, and the wine made from these fruits of autumn was beyond compare.”
The writing remains as luscious, through the whole of the book. I loved the rhythm of it, the richness of the language. I loved feeling that I had fallen into a painting, or some strange dream.
Yet, despite these lovelinesses, I found, or find rather, myself with a difficulty in reviewing it. For starters, I got muddled early on by the number of characters. There are so many of them! Introduced so quickly! And introduced only by name and profession, I quickly lost track of which ones were important. Some of them are only there to make up the background of the town, or are some lesser-mentioned winemakers, who appear the once and near-never again. Some of them are central characters, and one unfortunately does not realize it in the shuffle of townsfolk, and one must be continually turning back to figure out who these people are. (Or maybe it was just me. In fairness, I did start this book on a turbulent plane, in the middle of the night, after working all day. Our trip was besieged by storms, and perhaps outside circumstances made concentration difficult.) But I think, in this case, the loveliness of the language made my task harder: lost as I was in the dreaming words and fragrant scents emerging off the page, I had trouble with also following the plot.
However. Things progressed, and so did I, and eventually I managed to make my way through this lovely, yet confusing tangle. And then to the end, where the story took on the quality of a children's play. “The Elements” appear, personified Roses and Night and Wind and Sunlight. I liked how they appeared through the story: believable people, and also believable as their respective elements.
“Gloaming” ended exactly as it needed to, and yet it still seemed like a dramatic break from the rest of the story -- in writing style, in tone, and in development. All the characters became more stylized, more symbolic -- and though the plot needed this, I still felt disappointed. I wanted to watch the characters continue to grow, and (without spoilers), the change they experienced was dramatic enough that it was almost like a different story.
My reservations aside, I remain impressed with Ms. English's ability to magically transform her writing voice with each book. Some authors sound quintessentially the same regardless of setting or world. Charlotte English manages to create a different tone for each world she writes, while keeping that tone consistent for the all the books within a world. Gloaming's tone is that of something statuesque and old: it has the feel of (appropriately) a fae tale, or a parable, or a play. Yet it has none of the staleness of so many oft told tales: no, instead it has an old-world feeling to it, but remains interesting and entirely fresh. Reading it is like drinking from a clear stream.
Want to read
March 11, 2024This is not a full review. I read through the beginning of all 300 SPFBO9 contest entries. This was a book I wanted to read more of.
A woman who works at an old manor house finds a mirror in the basement that takes her back in time to when the house was in its golden days.
That’s the prologue anyway. Ch1 follows a different MC. But the premise is definitely intriguing.
The prose was competent and easy to read. I didn’t get much sense of the life of our MC in the prologue. Her character and the lead up to her translocation in time read like summary.
The details that we do get, though, did a good job of establishing a sense of place for me. I don’t get a good sense of the character of that place, per se, but I expect I will learn more as this book goes on.
It did a good job of moving its story along. Things happen fast. For a light read, that’s a boon. It seems like it will be cute and fun.
It’s hard to fault a book too much for things that aren’t there. Tho this opening felt sparse, it did enough to pass my humble test, and left me wondering what would happen next. So, I’m in.
A woman who works at an old manor house finds a mirror in the basement that takes her back in time to when the house was in its golden days.
That’s the prologue anyway. Ch1 follows a different MC. But the premise is definitely intriguing.
The prose was competent and easy to read. I didn’t get much sense of the life of our MC in the prologue. Her character and the lead up to her translocation in time read like summary.
The details that we do get, though, did a good job of establishing a sense of place for me. I don’t get a good sense of the character of that place, per se, but I expect I will learn more as this book goes on.
It did a good job of moving its story along. Things happen fast. For a light read, that’s a boon. It seems like it will be cute and fun.
It’s hard to fault a book too much for things that aren’t there. Tho this opening felt sparse, it did enough to pass my humble test, and left me wondering what would happen next. So, I’m in.
October 4, 2017
Dusk, we say, is a magic time, as the light dims and shadows lengthen and fade.
In Argantel town and Landricourt they said similarly, but metaphor it was not. The Gloaming was when the roses grew through the walls for the making of wine and things seemed to be not as they appeared. They weren't.
Oreane finds herself mirrored onto Laendricourt, the same place she knew, except that it most certainly was not. And the roses! They were as if the Rose herself had nursed them into being.
Charlotte English' enchantments grow deeper and richer with each book, as does her delight in the telling of the tale and mine in the reading of it.
Highly recommended. Enjoy!
In Argantel town and Landricourt they said similarly, but metaphor it was not. The Gloaming was when the roses grew through the walls for the making of wine and things seemed to be not as they appeared. They weren't.
Oreane finds herself mirrored onto Laendricourt, the same place she knew, except that it most certainly was not. And the roses! They were as if the Rose herself had nursed them into being.
Charlotte English' enchantments grow deeper and richer with each book, as does her delight in the telling of the tale and mine in the reading of it.
Highly recommended. Enjoy!
Read
August 20, 2025Rating to be decided.
Well, this was a roller-coaster! The epilogue is intriguing, then parts 1 and 2 slow down so much that even the lush descriptions stop being atmospheric and turn tedious and repetitive instead. However, once you reach part 3 (Oriane's perspective) and onwards, the plot goes full bonkers and it's so delightful. Unfortunately, just like in Fairy Fruit, the final part goes into a completely different direction - and here our heroes experience no difficulty in their quest, no conflict, they are aided by extremely powerful entities who ultimately save the day. Strangely enough, the climax was really tense and I expected the plot to go for the twist of our heroes failing to do The Thing they needed to do, but nope, against all logic, it all ended well. The problem is, because this is basically a fairy tale, the author disregards a lot of details and sometimes sacrifices consistency. Which leads to the fact that the plot does not survive the encounter with Fridge Logic.
SPOILERS HERE
Ghislain brews the potions and Rozebaiel knows how to make them too, so no one ever drank them and touched a rogue mirror? If mirrors wanted to be together in one place in the end, why didn't they just drift there themselves, instead of popping up randomly in random places? If Lunavere could drain the magic from them, why didn't she do it in the first place? How the hell was the rift mended if everything exploded? What was the place with the silver arbour? How did they get back to Argantel without mirrors? Why weren't Pharamond and his wife teleported too, if Oriane and Sylvaine were? What happened to Ghislain? (Margot doesn't even mention her father after the return) Where was Nynevarre in all this?
Another annoying thing is the fact that everyone who obviously had an idea of what was happening kept talking in vague riddles all the damn time! And the denizens of the magical Landricourt whined so much about the non-magical one that I really wished they all ended up without magic (plus, they didn't seem to be bothered by the rift at all, even despite the disappearances, the only people who wanted to fix things were the non-magical ones who just wanted to get home). SPOILERS OVER
All in all, intriguing concept, deliciously weird world and wild magic, mostly interesting characters (I especially liked Oriane and the Elements), vividly descriptive writing, but refusal to take risks and too many inconsistencies in the resolution.
Well, this was a roller-coaster! The epilogue is intriguing, then parts 1 and 2 slow down so much that even the lush descriptions stop being atmospheric and turn tedious and repetitive instead. However, once you reach part 3 (Oriane's perspective) and onwards, the plot goes full bonkers and it's so delightful. Unfortunately, just like in Fairy Fruit, the final part goes into a completely different direction - and here our heroes experience no difficulty in their quest, no conflict, they are aided by extremely powerful entities who ultimately save the day. Strangely enough, the climax was really tense and I expected the plot to go for the twist of our heroes failing to do The Thing they needed to do, but nope, against all logic, it all ended well. The problem is, because this is basically a fairy tale, the author disregards a lot of details and sometimes sacrifices consistency. Which leads to the fact that the plot does not survive the encounter with Fridge Logic.
SPOILERS HERE
Ghislain brews the potions and Rozebaiel knows how to make them too, so no one ever drank them and touched a rogue mirror? If mirrors wanted to be together in one place in the end, why didn't they just drift there themselves, instead of popping up randomly in random places? If Lunavere could drain the magic from them, why didn't she do it in the first place? How the hell was the rift mended if everything exploded? What was the place with the silver arbour? How did they get back to Argantel without mirrors? Why weren't Pharamond and his wife teleported too, if Oriane and Sylvaine were? What happened to Ghislain? (Margot doesn't even mention her father after the return) Where was Nynevarre in all this?
Another annoying thing is the fact that everyone who obviously had an idea of what was happening kept talking in vague riddles all the damn time! And the denizens of the magical Landricourt whined so much about the non-magical one that I really wished they all ended up without magic (plus, they didn't seem to be bothered by the rift at all, even despite the disappearances, the only people who wanted to fix things were the non-magical ones who just wanted to get home). SPOILERS OVER
All in all, intriguing concept, deliciously weird world and wild magic, mostly interesting characters (I especially liked Oriane and the Elements), vividly descriptive writing, but refusal to take risks and too many inconsistencies in the resolution.
August 19, 2022
Gloaming by Charlotte E English
Overall: 2.00
Storyline: 3.50
Characters: 1.75
Writing Style: 1.00
In more capable hands this could have been a fantastic story. Mirror images of a mansion, one full of magic and the other completely devoid of magic, people appearing and disappearing into mirrors, it was a very good storyline. So what went wrong? Charlotte E English.
I do not like to be cruel, but I do not consider Ms. English a very talented writer. This is the second book of hers I struggled through and will probably be the last. I find her writing style without life. It is as if she is writing a technical manual instead of weaving a story. The best way to describe it is to think of listening to a long drawn-out speech in a monotone. The topic could be very interesting, but the execution makes it almost painful to endure. That is what reading a story from Ms. English is like.
Her stories are the skeleton without any of the muscle or skin to give it life. The characters are flat and not developed. Her pace of the storyline is methodical and without imagination or world building except for the very barest. There is no reason to care for the characters or what happens to them.
This story had potential. Everything about it though was wrong, even the ending seemed a bit forced, as if she really had no idea how to resolve the problem of restoring order to the broken universe the story revolved around.
It was a disappointment and I cannot recommend it.
Overall: 2.00
Storyline: 3.50
Characters: 1.75
Writing Style: 1.00
In more capable hands this could have been a fantastic story. Mirror images of a mansion, one full of magic and the other completely devoid of magic, people appearing and disappearing into mirrors, it was a very good storyline. So what went wrong? Charlotte E English.
I do not like to be cruel, but I do not consider Ms. English a very talented writer. This is the second book of hers I struggled through and will probably be the last. I find her writing style without life. It is as if she is writing a technical manual instead of weaving a story. The best way to describe it is to think of listening to a long drawn-out speech in a monotone. The topic could be very interesting, but the execution makes it almost painful to endure. That is what reading a story from Ms. English is like.
Her stories are the skeleton without any of the muscle or skin to give it life. The characters are flat and not developed. Her pace of the storyline is methodical and without imagination or world building except for the very barest. There is no reason to care for the characters or what happens to them.
This story had potential. Everything about it though was wrong, even the ending seemed a bit forced, as if she really had no idea how to resolve the problem of restoring order to the broken universe the story revolved around.
It was a disappointment and I cannot recommend it.
October 20, 2021
Woah, this book was.....something. I'll just say this, I'm not used to such formal writing, but despite all the fancy words and phrases, the writing was rich and luring. It was like being inserted into a fairytale.
AND THE SCENERY DESCRIPTIONS. Holy Moly. It was amazing, she described it so thoroughly, but made it enchanting. I love the characters: especially Sylvaine. Honestly, Sylvaine's hot...so yeah. But Florian and Margot are so fricking adorable. Like they were together but not together at the same time.
Honestly, it feels like the author really tried to flesh out the world-building. The magic system was so unique and she really made sure not to add plotholes. This book truly encaptivated me. It was light and fluffy, and I felt young again.
The best feeling in the world.
The only problem I had was the writing style. it was lovely, but i think the author tried too hard to sound fancy, the writing became a little pretentious.
AND THE SCENERY DESCRIPTIONS. Holy Moly. It was amazing, she described it so thoroughly, but made it enchanting. I love the characters: especially Sylvaine. Honestly, Sylvaine's hot...so yeah. But Florian and Margot are so fricking adorable. Like they were together but not together at the same time.
Honestly, it feels like the author really tried to flesh out the world-building. The magic system was so unique and she really made sure not to add plotholes. This book truly encaptivated me. It was light and fluffy, and I felt young again.
The best feeling in the world.
The only problem I had was the writing style. it was lovely, but i think the author tried too hard to sound fancy, the writing became a little pretentious.
Read
April 26, 2024My attention was drawn to this rather gentle fantasy because of a peculiarly split world and its related mysteries. And problems to sort, of course. The setting is richly described, a bit heavily for my tastes, though bear in mind I usually read lean prose. We follow several characters as they play their parts in unravelling the mystery. I’m not sure I always managed to keep track of who was who. Somehow, they didn’t feel all that distinctive. This might have been because they seemed to be pushed along by the plot rather than being individuals making their own decisions.
I think this would appeal to readers who enjoy lush descriptions and a world that doesn’t have a grim or dark mood.
I think this would appeal to readers who enjoy lush descriptions and a world that doesn’t have a grim or dark mood.
March 21, 2020
What a peculiar, enchanting tale! Over the years I've read many stories which try to be something akin to Carroll's Wonderland, but they often fall flat. This one really manages to carry off dreamlike sequences of events without getting hopelessly lost. I'm not sure if this was the intention, but the creativity English has at her command is truly awe-inspiring.
A lovely, diverting story which I think many would enjoy. Magical, but not a werewolf, fairy or witch in sight, for once! Recommended!
A lovely, diverting story which I think many would enjoy. Magical, but not a werewolf, fairy or witch in sight, for once! Recommended!
August 22, 2021
Superb writing, richly evocative of a simpler time, of French winemakers of a very different sort. This is one of those “thin places”, where the veil of time is blurred and echoes from the past become increasingly audible until a mysterious door opens and you find yourself there, in the past glory days.
If you need a healthy break from current stresses, read this. I do “as needed “. Thank you Ms. English, for such imaginative, skillful and clean writing. Sex and profanity are not needed and not missed, though there is a love interest and several healthy relationships.
If you need a healthy break from current stresses, read this. I do “as needed “. Thank you Ms. English, for such imaginative, skillful and clean writing. Sex and profanity are not needed and not missed, though there is a love interest and several healthy relationships.
November 15, 2020
2.5 stars, rounded up for the magic system because the Elements were really neat (Moon is my favourite! Stole the few scenes she was in).
I know this is absolutely a belated realisation, but English really likes her split worlds, hey?
I'm not sure why, but this instalment felt to drag on quite a bit. Maybe because I wasn't really interested in any of the characters or their motivation, which is odd to me for an English book.
All good. Can't win 'em all.
I know this is absolutely a belated realisation, but English really likes her split worlds, hey?
I'm not sure why, but this instalment felt to drag on quite a bit. Maybe because I wasn't really interested in any of the characters or their motivation, which is odd to me for an English book.
All good. Can't win 'em all.
December 12, 2021
A truly ethereal fantasy - a magical house and estate that exists in a world that is nothing like this one, apart from there being roses, and mirrors, and wine.
It took me a while to get into it, I must admit; I almost gave up at about 20% when I felt as lost as some of the characters, but in the end I am glad I kept going.
It took me a while to get into it, I must admit; I almost gave up at about 20% when I felt as lost as some of the characters, but in the end I am glad I kept going.
December 2, 2017
Very Strange...
Not sure why, but I was looking for this book to be a true part two to Fairies Fruit, but it was not...now I need a second part to both stories...good story and adventure none the less.
Not sure why, but I was looking for this book to be a true part two to Fairies Fruit, but it was not...now I need a second part to both stories...good story and adventure none the less.
September 26, 2019
Fun and fantastical
What a light and entertaining book. Quite delightful, full of magical mischief. And no I don't usually talk that way. It is the way the book makes you feel.
What a light and entertaining book. Quite delightful, full of magical mischief. And no I don't usually talk that way. It is the way the book makes you feel.
September 27, 2019
I just couldn't get into the story. Wish I could, I really liked the premise.
Read
December 26, 2019Alluring tale of power and appropriation. The brightening and gloaming put such a classification on the places.
April 16, 2020
Love this original fairy tale; it's pure magic!
June 15, 2021
Fun concept
I love the magical concept of this novel but found the plot slow and the characters somewhat underdeveloped. I would read this author again.
I love the magical concept of this novel but found the plot slow and the characters somewhat underdeveloped. I would read this author again.
December 10, 2021
I wanted to give this book five stars. Trust me, the wiritng and plot were beautiful. I fell in love with almost all the characters (sylvaine, hmu) but the writing was just too pretentious.
January 21, 2025
Magical and inventive! I loved the world, it was so whimsical.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews